[pritz]

I'm a fairly new player but am having some decent success at Hold'em. I'm looking for ways to improve my game and I think where I could really sharpen up is when I flop two pair and was hoping people could offer strategy advice. I play tight aggressive so unless I'm trying to vary my play for strategic reasons I'm not likely to be in with a rag as my second card. Keep in mind I understand a LOT of this depends on who I’m up against, their play style, etc. I’m more looking for “guiding principles” that are statistically sound. Once I’ve got a better handle on that I can decide when to break from them and when to stick to them based on the other factors.

Although I can win with two pair I also find it’s the time where I end up ‘second best’ the most and consequently lose the most that way. Are there any hard and fast rules to live by in this situation. Like, if the second pair is community cards, call and don’t raise. Or is it better to try to raise hoping to semi-bluff a stronger hand? If the second pair is also made from my pocket cards should I come very strong early to drive out anyone on a draw, or should I lay low not risking too much money since two pair is only two pair?

Here’s a scenario:
I have KcJh and am in mid position.
Flop comes Ks7s7h
It’s checked to me, I bet medium amount and am called by three others. That’s got me thinking that out of three callers someone is probably on a flush draw. The two others I put on a pocket pair and maybe AQ or some other high combination.
Turn come 10s
Now the flush has me worried so after its checked to me again, I bet a higher amount, still in the medium range. Two of the three others fold feeling the heat. One calls.
River is As
It’s checked to me, I can smell the check-raise coming so I just check as well. I lose to the flush.

Should I have gotten out earlier? Should I have bet more to drive him out? Did I play it fine and thems the breaks?

Thanks for any advice!

[chris]

think about it this way... what cards would call your bet? and what cards would fold?

it depends on the table? if this was low limit, i'd get out asap, i'd assume someone was holding a 7, especially if there were alota callers... try and get away from hands where u'd make second best... i dunno, see what others hafta say, becaus i've been playing for 6 months now... and i only play limit

[johnf]

I'm not sure if this is obvious or not, but two pair including one on the board is a lot more vulnerable than two pair without either being on the board. You have to worry about three of a kind, higher pocket pair, and a full house.

[lork]

Two pair with one on the board is indeed a weaker hand than two pair where you hold both cards. That said, after the flop, the only thing that beats you is a 7, a K with a better kicker, or pocket aces. So you were right to bet it out and see where you were.

At a game like this with three callers you have to figure someone's on the flush draw. But did this guy make a one-card flush when the As hit? Because he didn't bet the flush on the turn, so if you didn't think he had it yet you don't want to give him a free card and let him make a one-card flush. It all depends on your read. One of the first thing weak players seem to learn is slow-playing a made hand by one round - i.e. making a flush on the turn and betting the river. If he made a one-card flush you were right to make him pay for it and right as well not to bet it on the river. I might not have bet the turn here, although I hate to give the guy a free card, but I already fear the flush and I think he might be waiting to take a shot on the river.

It's a terrible spot to be in and you have to look at this guy and decide if you want to put yourself in the position of trying to read him. Tough fold but my instinct is to dump it.

[ThomasR]

Nothing wrong with the way you played, that is how you should play a strong hand. However, perhaps a larger bet earlier on may have made him ditch his cards? It's all well and good holding out for the flush, but you don't want to throw too many chips till you have something on the deck worthwhile and a larger bet may have kept these people at bay.

That said, it might have played out the same way and you might have lost more. I suppose you'll never know